Dantona's withdrawal shifts state senate race dynamics
By Bill Lascher 01/10/2008
Democrat Jim Dantona of Simi Valley had been the first to announce he would challenge former State Assemblyman Tony Strickland for the 19th District of the California State Senate seat, which spans much of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The seat is now held by Tom McClintock, a Republican who may be termed out of the seat - depending on the results of an initiative on the Feb. 5 ballot with the candidates seeking presidential nominations.
Dantona's campaign was complicated by the fact that former Assemblywoman Hannah Beth Jackson, who lives in Santa Barbara, announced her own bid for the Democratic nomination a short time after he did. The possibility of a bruising primary campaign threatened to deplete both candidates of necessary funds to beat Strickland, a Thousand Oaks resident who has built a substantial war chest for his campaign, which doesn't face a primary challenge. A Jan. 7 press release announcing Dantona's withdrawal from the race acknowledged that this would harm the possibility that either Democrat could defeat Strickland.
"The reality is that if we fight each other, we may as well hand him the Senate," Dantona said in his announcement. " I am a team player and I wish Hannah Beth only (the) best in her race."
The field may still be uncertain in the senate race. If voters accept Proposition 93 in next month's primary election, McClintock would be allowed to remain in office for another four-year-term. The ballot measure would alter the term limits on state legislators if passed by reducing the number of total years politicians could serve in the legislature from 12 to 14, but allowing them to serve their terms in either house (currently assembly members can hold up to three two-year terms, while state senators can have two four-year terms).
If it passed, McClintock could also be in the mix, triggering the possibility that Strickland would withdraw from the campaign in favor of the incumbent from his party.
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